


Love and Duty

by jonsastan (lilzipop)



Series: A Dream of Spring [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Rhaegar Won, F/M, Jon Snow is a Targaryen, but a bastard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-13 12:27:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19251199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilzipop/pseuds/jonsastan
Summary: From the moment of her birth she had been promised to the prince, a way of uniting the realm after the Mad King. When she was sixteen years old she was called to the capital. Her father, herself, and her sister were packed and loaded and travelled to King’s Landing. She remembered her father’s words to Robb as they left, “There must always be a Stark in Winterfell”. She remembered her Mother’s tears. She remembered the smell of snow and the fear that she would never smell it again.~~~~~~~~Day 1 of Jonsa: A Dream of Spring





	Love and Duty

**Author's Note:**

> The first day of Jonsa: a dream of Spring, the prompt was quotes, so i kinda just made up a story that used all my favourites.

From the moment of her birth she had been promised to the prince, a way of uniting the realm after the Mad King. When she was sixteen years old she was called to the capital. Her father, herself, and her sister were packed and loaded and travelled to King’s Landing. She remembered her father’s words to Robb as they left, “ _ There must always be a Stark in Winterfell _ ”. She remembered her Mother’s tears. She remembered the smell of snow and the fear that she would never smell it again. 

 

Within two months she stood in front of the King, the Queen, the Princes, and the Princess. No one offered her a sign of acknowledgement as she sunk into the low curtsey she had mastered at the age of four. She felt exposed in the loose, flowing gown her mother had made her in the Southern style.  _ I am a wolf. _ She stiffened her spine and looked on the face of her betrothed, violet eyes met blue.  _ And Winter is Coming _ . 

 

~~~~~~~~

 

Aegon was nice. He was attentive, never leaving her at feasts, complimenting her gowns, gifting her flowers and sonnets. Sansa knew she should be swooning, be falling madly in love. He was like a prince in a tale, tall, and slender, and fair. But she could see the wall Aegon had built between them, around his heart. He didn’t love her, he wouldn’t try and she couldn’t make him. 

 

~~~~~~~~

 

She had been at King’s Landing for almost six months when she caught them. Two silver-gold heads bent together, lips locked, hands grasping. She had not meant to make a sound but she must have because Aegon and Daenerys’ head snapped to her. She’d made to flea but Aegon had grabbed her wrist, squeezing it as he made her promise to tell no one. 

 

She’d promised.

 

She didn’t want anyone to know, to know the shame of her betrothed preferring another. 

 

Sansa begun to spend her time in the Godswood, her eyes shut, her head bent. Not in prayer. Her father’s Gods had no power in the South, but to be alone. She stood, spinning to face the garden when she heard twigs snapping. 

 

“Who’s there?” She called, proud that her voice did not quaver. 

 

“Just me.” Her cousin moved into the open. 

 

“Jon.” She couldn’t help but smile at him. He was the only link to the North she had since Arya and her father had returned to Winterfell a moon turns ago, but she had been avoiding him since seeing his brother and his aunt together. 

 

_ Daenerys is his betrothed _ .  A voice in her whispered and suddenly she couldn’t look into those grey eyes, those honest, lovely eyes, her father’s eyes. 

 

“You found them didn’t you?” Her head snapped up at the guilt in his voice.

 

“You knew?” And now his eyes wouldn’t meet hers. 

 

“I tried to convince Aegon to talk to father, delay your betrothal, convince him to betroth Daenerys and Aegon. He wouldn’t listen to me. He wouldn’t try.” 

 

“Aren’t you angry?” She asked, sitting on the grass under the great oak Heart Tree of the Godswood. Jon moved to sit beside her as he spoke. 

 

“I was, but they love each other.” 

 

“They have a duty.” 

 

“What is duty to a woman’s love?” 

 

Sansa looked at her cousin. 

 

“Did your father tell you that?” She asked, genuinely curious what the King had told his bastard son about his birth. 

 

“My Uncle Aemon.” She frowned not recognising the name from court. “He’s the Maester on the Wall. We write to each other.” Jon looked to the sky and Sansa followed his gaze. The stars were so scarce here compared to the North. “He says love is the death of duty.” 

 

“Love can be built from duty.” Sansa replied still staring at the stars. “My parents weren’t in love when they were wed. My mother was to marry my uncle Brandon before he was-” Sansa stopped, realising what she was about to say. 

 

“Murder by my Grandfather.” Jon finished, his face no longer turned to the sky, but looking at his fingers as they tugged at the grass. 

 

“That wasn’t your fault.” Sansa whispered, wanting to offer him comfort but not sure how to. 

 

“Love is the death of duty.” He murmured again. “My parents loved. How many died alongside their duty?”  He stood abruptly and walked back to Red Keep. 

 

~~~~~~~~

 

_ He asked Daenerys.  _ Sansa thought staring at the two graceful silver-gold haired figures that navigated the dance floor with effortless elegance. 

 

It was Aegon’s twentieth name day feast and the music had just begun. Eyes had turned to the dais and fixed on Aegon. He stood, bowed toward his mother and father and turned. Sansa had smiled at him. But he walked passed her and offered his hand to Daenerys, his aunt, his brother’s betrothed, and they had begun to dance. 

 

The entire ballroom was silent except for the music. No one stirred. No one spoke. It seemed as if no one even dared breathe.  _ Is this was it was like when Rhaegar gave my aunt a crown of winter roses? _ Sansa wondered. 

 

The King stood and all eyes snapped to him as if he had shouted. He bowed to his wife, who smiled and nodded before turning to chat with their daughter. Rhaegar then turned and walked toward Sansa. He bowed slightly to her and offered her his hand.

 

“May I have this dance, my lady?” 

 

“Of course, your grace.” She stood, sliding her hand into the King’s.  _ He’s warm _ she thought idly. They fell into the rhythm of the dance and soon others came onto the floor. Sansa knew Aegon and Daenerys continued to dance out of her line of sight, realising the King was maneuvering them so she could not see. But she did see Jon bow to Rhaenys and escort his sister to the floor. 

 

“He will not do this again.” The King’s deep voice broke her gaze from her cousin. 

 

“Your grace?” She asked, her eyes fixed on the laces at his throat. His eyes were too much like his son’s. 

 

“Aegon. He will not shame you like this again. I shall ensure it.” 

 

_ He may not shame me publicly again. _ Sansa thought, biting her cheek. 

 

“Thank you, your grace.” The song, and dance, were almost at an end when Rhaegar spoke again. 

 

“You need not worry Lady Sansa. My son shall do his duty. He is a prince.” 

 

“He is very much like his father.” Sansa said, her voice crisp her eyes meeting his for the first time. They were hard, masked, difficult to read. But Sansa could see feeling in them. Anger, annoyance, and guilt. Rhaegar’s arms dropped from her as the song came to an end. “If you’ll excuse me, your grace, I have developed a headache and feel a desperate need to retire.” She sunk into a low curtsey before leaving the ballroom.  _ A lady must not forget her courtesies, they are her armour.  _

 

~~~~~~~~

 

She had goosebumps all over her body, her arms were spread wide as the wind swept over her, she was almost shivering. She did not care, she relished it. She relished the cold. If she shut her eyes she could almost pretend she was back in Winterfell. Almost. But the smell of the city and the cry of gulls, and the constant humidity made it near impossible. 

 

Sansa stood on the balcony of her suite, reaching as far over as she could, her hands and hair playing in the wind. 

 

“My lady!” called a voice and she was yanked back into strong arms that smelt of wood and sweat and...snow? She looked up and saw Jon’s concerned face gazing down at her. “You should not lean over the edge so, you could fall.” She almost wanted to laugh.

 

“I would not fall.” She did not pull from his arms as she knew she should, she savoured the moment of comfort they offered. “I would fly. Fly all the way back to Winterfell.” She saw pity in his eyes and pulled away from him. “Do you not wish you could fly, Jon?” 

 

“On dragon back like the Targaryens of old?” He followed her as she re-entered her chambers. “I should like that very much.” 

 

“There are said to be dragon eggs buried deep in the crypts of Winterfell.” Sansa turned to face him, her eyes searching for the pity she thought she’d seen before. 

 

“Truly?” 

 

“Aye. Left for a bastard sister of a Stark Lord by a Dragon Prince.”

 

“I should like to find them.” He smiled at her before frowning. “You’re shivering!” He moved toward her, pulling blanket from her bed and wrapping it around her shoulders. He took her in his arms and held her to him, rubbing her back in large gentle strokes. “You’ll be warm soon.”

 

“We should look.” Sansa mumbled, turning her head to hide her face in his chest. Jon hummed a note of confusion. “We should go to Winterfell and look for dragon eggs.” She felt his chuckle in his chest. 

 

“And leave our honour and duties?” She pulled away and looked at him. At his kind and gentle and brave face with his strong hands around her, and his kind heart all she yearned for. 

 

“Love is the death of duty.” She whispered, leaning in and kissing him. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please forgive my mistakes, my work is unbeta'd. There's an edit on my tumblr (jonsastan) so feel free to check it out and drop me a prompt. :)


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